Matthew Elliott's troops came into the clash on a five-game winning streak and for awhile the Rabbitohs looked like they were going to drop their annual fixture in the Western Australian capital when the Warriors kicked out to a 13-6 half-time lead.

Flashy winger Andrew Everingham got things underway for Souths at the six-minute mark, but brilliant tries to Simon Mannering and Konrad Hurrell gave the visitors the advantage.

Warriors half-back Shaun Johnson slotted a field goal in the shadows of the break to make it a seven-point lead heading to the sheds.

But that was all the Warriors could offer without injured stars Manu Vatuvei and Russell Packer as the Rabbitohs showed just why they are at the top of the ladder.

Rabbitohs five-eighth John Sutton took the reins after the break, guiding his side around Perth Oval superbly and crossing for the first try of the second stanza despite a potential knock-on from Chris McQueen in the lead-up.

Souths centre Bryson Goodwin, who grew up in WA and was once a ball-boy for the Perth-based Western Reds in the Super League, bagged a double eight minutes apart.

"Just off-the-cuff sort of thing," Goodwin told Grandstand of his first try.

"Last tackle so just played what was in front of me and it came off luckily enough so it was good to get a try like that.

"It was a quick game out there and everyone was getting tired."

Queensland Origin forward McQueen then bustled over on the stroke of full-time to make it five tries for the "home" side in front of a huge crowd of 20,221 which stayed until the very end.

South Sydney remains top of the ladder with a two-game buffer over the Roosters while the Warriors are two points back from a five-team logjam on 18 that stretches from sixth to 10th spot.

In a spot of bad news for the Bunnies, lock Sam Burgess was booked for a high tackle on Johnson.

Canberra continued to ride its momentum, winger Sami Sauiluma crossing after a Terry Campese bomb to give his side a deserved 18-0 lead into the break.

Thurston made amends for an ordinary first half by opening the scoring in the second half.

The Raiders seemingly then switched off after a penalty goal extended their lead to 20-6, Cowboys playmaker Robert Lui making them pay with another converted try.

But twinkle toes Raiders full-back Anthony Milford was finally rewarded for a brilliant run-on debut with a try off the back of a scrum in the 75th minute, putting the fast-finishing Cowboys to the sword.

Meanwhile Raiders interchange Sam Mataora faces a nervous wait after being placed on report for a high tackle on Dallas Johnson straight after break.

Newcastle led early through a try to Houston in the fifth minute of play, but the Dogs hit back with a four-pointer to five-eighth Josh Reynolds five minutes later.

Winger James McManus scored the Knights' second midway through the half and was later rewarded with a call-up to the New South Wales squad for Origin III, but Krisnan Inu levelled the scores with a try three minutes before the break.

Neither Trent Hodkinson or Tyrone Roberts had their kicking boots on, leaving the score at 8-8 at half-time.

Centre Josh Morris went over to put the Bulldogs in front four minutes into the second period, but the Dogs were unable to hang on to the lead as tries to Danny Buderus and Houston again set up a tight finish.

Tyrone Roberts missed a field goal in the final minutes, keeping the Knights' lead at six points, and although the Bulldogs put pressure on Newcastle, they could not get across the line to force a golden point decider.

That's been our problem all year, giving away stupid penalties and can't hold the ball. The amount of defence we're made to do is hurting us in the long run.

Bulldogs full-back Ben Barba

"It's good of the Dogs to bring it up here again, it's just disappointing that we couldn't put the effort in that we did last year," Mackay native and Bulldogs full-back Ben Barba told Grandstand post-match.